Kwoo

Hello,
I am planning a trip to Montreal this summer but my husband has some reservations about Montreal. He is concerned there won't be enough to do there. We went once about 30 years ago in the winter, & I definitely want to return during the summer months. We have about 5 days to spend...we live near Boston so I thought we would spend 1 day driving there, 3 whole days in Montreal, and one day to drive back. Is 3 days too much, not enough or just right?

I have done some reading in the Lonely Planet Guide book. We would want to visit some of the churches, walk around Old Montreal, shop & eat. We love to dine at outdoor cafes. Can anyone recommend any other must-sees in Montreal? We are in our 50's and our daughters, who are in their 20's, might be joining us.

Can anyone recommend a nice but inexpensive small hotel to stay in Old Montreal? We don't need a lot of amenities. We usually spend $80 - $130 per night on lodging. For the last 2 years, we took expensive overseas trips, so this year we are trying not to spend a lot of money.

I also thought we could stop in Burlington, VT on the way to Montreal or on the way home. Is it worth a stop for a couple of hours?

Thanks for any suggestions/helpful hints. I've used this travel forum for our last 2 trips and it was extremely helpful.

Gavin

You should have no trouble finding things to do with three whole days in Montreal! I could certainly enjoy a week but we make up for it with frequent visits. We do two or three long weekends a year in Montreal and keep going back. For us dining and shopping are important activities but so is just exploring. I suggest searching here and on chowhound for restaurant information and make reservations for at least one or two dinners. We always stay in the downtown area so I cannot help with a hotel in old Montreal but I am sure others will offer suggestions.

travel_hog

Hi! I just came back from a 3 day trip to Montreal (my first time there) with my boyfriend, and we are both in our early 20s. We also spent all our time in Montreal without a map - we just walked wherever our feet would take us! We had a great time going to the Insectarium and the Botanical gardins, they were both a lot of fun and you get both admissions for one price. Take the subway there, and there are a couple of other attractions around, including the rainforest BioDome. Old Montreal is a great way to spend a day, and from there you can walk to Chinatown and go out for Chinese food. We went to a great jazz club one night called Upstairs!, and had cheesecake, and it was right near the main street so you can take a lovely walk there. Basically, I would suggest going to one main part of town each day (Old Montreal/Chinatown, St. Catherine street, etc.) and just walking around. If you like Indian food, there is a great Indian buffet we went to near the Fairmont hotel (can't remember the name of it) which is famous. If you just walk along St. Catherine street, there is basically 100s of shops and will be satisfying for a shopping trip.

Kwoo

Thank you, Travel_Hog and Gavin, for your help and advice. I read your responses to my husband & have convinced him that Montreal will be a great destination!

Gavin, thanks for the tip about chowhound.

Travel_Hog, thanks for recommending the Botanical Gardens, Insectarium & BioDome. I haven't finished reading Lonely Planet yet, so I didn't know about those places.

Does anyone else have suggestions for a reasonably-priced small hotel in Old Montreal? Is Burlington, VT worth a stop?

Thanks again.

cdavenpo

I live in Burlington, and I think it's worth a visit, although it may seem tame compared to Boston/Montreal. Church Street Marketplace is a nice stroll, though I think many visitors come to see the surrounds, such as Montpelier or ski resorts.
I came to this site to see Montreal as a vacation destination, if that tells you anything!

tigger35

I have read some really good reviews of a B&B in Old Town. The web site is www.lesanssoucy.com. It also is mentioned as a moderately priced place that is well recommended in several travle guide books. We will be in Montreal in Oct and I have reservations there.

Lois_L

If you like shopping, 3 days in Montreal is nowhere near enough--it's just enough to get started. Even though the Canadian dollar is higher now against the $US, Montreal is still a wonderful destination for clothes you can't get south of the border, great footwear . . . all at excellent prices. As is frequently mentioned, Montreal is also great for fine dining, also at bargain prices if you're American. There are several worthwhile museums, among them the Canadian Centre for Architecture and on boul. Rene-Levesque, and the Musee des beaux-arts on Sherbrooke. You could also sample some of the rich artistic life of Montreal--see what's on and get tickets. But most of all, spend as much time as you can soaking up the charm of this wonderful city.

nancy161

Kwoo, the botanical Gardens is one of the best in North America, you can spend an entire day there! also, check for special show times for the days you are there.
Montreal has fantastic public transportation; you may want to find info on the unlimited 3 day pass.
The park by the river is very relaxing to stroll, steps from the Old Montreal area.
We enjoyed staying in this hotel/apt. called Anne ma soeur Anne, on St. Denis, near lots of interesting shops & restaurant &bakeries. The hotel rooms have equipped kitchen.

I think there are definitely plenty of things to do for 3 days. great opportunity to practice French!

christellefv

When I went to the Botanical Gardens one day was not even enough to see all of it and take pics!

Other things I enjoy Montreal Summer: festivals. Check when you are coming which festival/free activity is going on. The atmosphere is awesome! Always a party somewhere.